page_title: Oophila
hierarchical_section_title: Oophila
caption_attribution_description: English: A clear color morph of an Ambystoma maculatum (spotted salamander) egg mass at the University of Mississippi Field Station. Symbiotic algae is visible surrounding each developing larva.
context_page_description: Oophila amblystomatis, commonly known as chlamydomonad algae or salamander algae, is a species of single-celled green algae. The Latin specific name means "loves salamander eggs". It does not occur anywhere in nature other than in the eggs of the spotted salamander, Ambystoma maculatum. The alga can invade and grow in the amphibian's egg capsule. Once inside, it metabolizes the carbon dioxide produced by the embryo and provides it with oxygen as a result of photosynthesis. This is an example of symbiosis, and the only known example an intracellular endosymbiont microbe in vertebrates.
  This symbiosis between Oophila and the salamander may exist beyond the oocyte and early embryonic stage. Chlorophyll autofluorescence observation and ribosomal DNA analysis suggest that this algal species has invaded embryonic salamander tissues and cells during development and may even be transmitted to the next generation.
  Oophila amblystomatis are only found in freshwater in woodland ponds. They grow best at a water depth of 30cm with the water temperature being 15C and an air temperature of 14C.
context_section_description: Oophila amblystomatis, commonly known as chlamydomonad algae or salamander algae, is a species of single-celled green algae. The Latin specific name means "loves salamander eggs". It does not occur anywhere in nature other than in the eggs of the spotted salamander, Ambystoma maculatum. The alga can invade and grow in the amphibian's egg capsule. Once inside, it metabolizes the carbon dioxide produced by the embryo and provides it with oxygen as a result of photosynthesis. This is an example of symbiosis, and the only known example an intracellular endosymbiont microbe in vertebrates.
  This symbiosis between Oophila and the salamander may exist beyond the oocyte and early embryonic stage. Chlorophyll autofluorescence observation and ribosomal DNA analysis suggest that this algal species has invaded embryonic salamander tissues and cells during development and may even be transmitted to the next generation.
  Oophila amblystomatis are only found in freshwater in woodland ponds. They grow best at a water depth of 30cm with the water temperature being 15C and an air temperature of 14C. Their optimal pH tolerance ranges from 6.26-6.46 and they require an environment where there is 12 hours of sunlight and 12 hours of darkness. Cells are motile are able to move the water by the use of a flagelluma. Oophila amblystomatis can also reproduce sexually and asexually. 16S rRNA has been partially sequenced as well as the 18S rRNA for the plasmid, however whole genome sequencing has not been done.
caption: Ambystoma maculatum clear egg mass with green color from Oophila algae
exif: {"Image Make": "NIKON CORPORATION", "Image Model": "NIKON D3300", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "300", "Image YResolution": "300", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "Ver.1.00", "Image DateTime": "2015:01:29 13:18:53", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Centered", "Image ExifOffset": "228", "GPS GPSVersionID": "[2, 3, 0, 0]", "Image GPSInfo": "15268", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "300", "Thumbnail YResolution": "300", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "15860", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "11207", "Thumbnail YCbCrPositioning": "Centered", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/500", "EXIF FNumber": "11", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Unidentified", "EXIF ISOSpeedRatings": "200", "EXIF SensitivityType": "Recommended Exposure Index", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0230", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2015:01:29 13:18:53", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2015:01:29 13:18:53", "EXIF ComponentsConfiguration": "YCbCr", "EXIF CompressedBitsPerPixel": "2", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "0", "EXIF MaxApertureValue": "22/5", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Pattern", "EXIF LightSource": "Unknown", "EXIF Flash": "Flash did not fire, auto mode", "EXIF FocalLength": "35", "EXIF SubSecTime": "60", "EXIF SubSecTimeOriginal": "60", "EXIF SubSecTimeDigitized": "60", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "6000", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "4000", "Interoperability InteroperabilityIndex": "R98", "Interoperability InteroperabilityVersion": "[48, 49, 48, 48]", "EXIF InteroperabilityOffset": "15236", "EXIF SensingMethod": "One-chip color area", "EXIF FileSource": "Digital Camera", "EXIF SceneType": "Directly Photographed", "EXIF CVAPattern": "[2, 0, 2, 0, 0, 1, 1, 2]", "EXIF CustomRendered": "Normal", "EXIF ExposureMode": "Auto Exposure", "EXIF WhiteBalance": "Auto", "EXIF DigitalZoomRatio": "1", "EXIF FocalLengthIn35mmFilm": "52", "EXIF SceneCaptureType": "Standard", "EXIF GainControl": "None", "EXIF Contrast": "Normal", "EXIF Saturation": "Normal", "EXIF Sharpness": "Normal", "EXIF SubjectDistanceRange": "0"}